Six more weeks of school......but who's counting, right? ME!!!!! This has actually been a very pleasant school year for me on the work front, and it hasn't been bad for my kids, either. I'm still looking forward to the "break" that summer will bring, though.

DH was off this weekend, and we got a ton done around the house and made some progress on our future plans.....building our new house, selling this one, etc. We met with our lender and the builder we are going to use, and we have a May 9th appt. to meet with the designer who will draw up our plans! I am both excited and nervous to get going with this. I worry that the amount of work (and actual *communication* on a regular basis) involved in building a house will be problematic for us, but DH and I had some good talks this weekend and have scheduled all of his free time in June to make selections, etc., so hopefully that will keep either of us from freaking out when it is time to make decisions.

I continue to struggle with our move to a.....new financial phase in life, I guess. I don't mean to imply that we are rolling in it, because we aren't, but this past year is the first time that we have not had financial "crunch" times. We generally have a very healthy amount left in our bank account at the end of a pay period, to the point that I honestly don't know when payday is any more.....there is always plenty of money in checking, so I don't pay attention. If the boys need clothes, finding the money to buy them isn't an issue, but finding the time to shop is.....I am just rambling now and I'm afraid it sounds like I am bragging, but that is not my point in posting. It is just such a WEIRD shift to make! Sometimes DH and I just look at each other and laugh when something happens that makes the contrast between "then" and "now" apparent. It's a good place to be, don't get me wrong, but I would be lying if I said I don't feel uncomfortable with it now and then, especially since all of my (smart, hard-working, dedicated) colleagues at school will never see the kind of money that DH is making now. When I taught before, there was a solidarity that I felt with my co-workers, and everyone was very supportive and kind about financial pressures......we were all in the same boat. Now there are comments made that subtly let me know that I am not "one of them" any more. No one is unkind, but it is just a strange feeling. I am still the same person, but the way people relate to me has changed.

We are all headed to FL this week, on Wednesday. I'm very excited about the trip.....hoping that my lily-white flesh doesn't blind anyone in the Clearwater area. DH and I also just planned a trip to Oregon (where I will finally get to meet Nellie! ) for just the two of us towards the end of June. The two older boys will be at camp the week we are gone, and my mom said she would watch Nathan for us.....so we are free to go. Neither of us have ever been to the northwest, so we are really excited about the trip.

Although I have tried to remain in denial about this next aspect, the fact is that our house will be going on the market soon. The market is not that great here, so we are going to start the process early in hopes of not ending up with two mortgages next summer. We will get a quote from a painting crew tomorrow about getting our upstairs and the downstairs bedrooms painted. We need to clean out closets and our garage, and then the sign will go in the yard and the fun will begin. :| To say that I'm not looking forward to the process would be a gross understatement.....but the only way out is through, right? :huh:[/QUOTE]